How do I call for help without making it worse?
Call 911 when someone is hurt or in immediate danger, and call or text 988 for a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis when no one is in immediate danger.Either way, describe what you see, not what you guess it is, and say if you think it’s a mental health crisis.
1 · MindWhat it is, and what to do
911 is for emergencies where someone could be hurt or die right now: a person who is injured, not breathing, having a long seizure, overdosing, or about to hurt themselves or someone else.
988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can call or text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7, with text and chat in Spanish too. A trained crisis counselor answers, listens and helps find next steps. It’s for mental health, suicide and substance use problems, and for any kind of emotional distress. You can contact 988 about someone else, not only yourself.
Mobile crisis teams are groups of health and mental health workers, sometimes including peers (people who have lived through a crisis themselves), who can come in person when a phone call isn’t enough. They work to calm the situation and connect people to care. NAMI says police should join them only in high-risk situations. Not every area has one yet.
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers are police trained to respond safely to mental health crises. Many communities have CIT programs, but not every officer is trained. When you call 911, you can ask whether one is available.
What each tradition or community says
Families often say the call they make shapes everything that follows. NAMI advises telling the dispatcher it’s a mental health crisis and sharing any history that helps responders understand what they’re walking into.
988 counselors are there to listen and support. The Lifeline says conversations are free and confidential, and fewer than 2 percent of 988 calls involve emergency services.
Groups like NAMI call for mobile crisis teams staffed by health and mental health workers, including peers, who can respond in person when a phone call isn’t enough.
2 · HeartWhat it feels like
For the person in crisis, having police or strangers show up can be frightening, especially if they’re already scared or confused. A calm, clear call can help the right people arrive with the right approach.
For you, deciding whether to call can feel like a heavy responsibility. You don’t have to get it perfect. Calling for help, and calling the right number, is an act of care.
The words you use on the phone can travel all the way to the person who needs help. Choose calm, simple, true ones.Neighbor Radio
3 · HandsHow to be a good neighbor
First, ask: is anyone in danger right now? If yes, call 911. If no, but someone is struggling, call or text 988.
When you call 911, say:
- Where you are.
- What you see, in plain words: “A man is sitting on the curb, rocking and talking loudly. He isn’t hurting anyone.”
- “I think this may be a mental health crisis.” Or a medical one, if that’s what it looks like.
- “Is a CIT officer or a mobile crisis team available?”
Describe, don’t diagnose. “He’s confused and doesn’t know where he is” is more useful than “He’s on drugs.”
When help arrives, stay calm, step back, and share what you saw. Yelling or crowding can make things more tense for everyone.
Look up your local crisis options now. Search your city or county name plus “mobile crisis” so you know what exists before you need it.
This weekSave 988 in your phone today, and look up whether your county has a mobile crisis team.
Four questions to take with you
From the story of the Good Samaritan, the stranger who stopped to help. We call it the Good Neighbor Test.
- Did they see? Or look right past?
- Did they stop? Even when it was inconvenient?
- Did it cost them? Time, money, comfort, reputation?
- Did they treat the person like a person? Not like a label?
Try it on: if someone you love were in crisis, what words would you want a stranger to use when they called for help?
Quick questions
Can I call 988 for someone else?
Yes. You can contact 988 if a friend, family member or neighbor is struggling.
Is 988 only for suicide?
No. It’s also for mental health crises, substance use problems and any kind of emotional distress.
Will police always come if I call 988?
Rarely. 988 connects you with a trained crisis counselor, and the Lifeline says fewer than 2 percent of calls involve emergency services. If there’s immediate danger, call 911.
What if my area doesn’t have CIT or mobile crisis?
Call 911 anyway if there’s immediate danger, and say clearly that it may be a mental health crisis.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- NAMI: 988 and Mobile Crisis
- NAMI: Calling 911 and Talking with Police
- 988 Lifeline: Does 988 use police intervention?
- 988 Lifeline: Help Someone Else
Fact-checked October 13, 2026 against 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and NAMI. Written in plain words by the Neighbor Radio team. Every fact is checked against what each community says about itself, in its own official sources, plus a neutral reference. Part of this community and something doesn't sound like you, or spot a mistake? Tell us. We read every note and fix mistakes.
There’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.
